Deuteronomy 18:1-8
Lexham English Bible
18 “And there shall not be for the Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, a plot of ground and an inheritance with Israel, rather they may eat an offering made by fire as their inheritance,[a] for Yahweh. 2 And there shall not be for them[b] an inheritance of land in the midst of his brothers; rather Yahweh is his inheritance, just as he promised[c] to them.[d]
3 Now this shall be the share of the priest from the people, from those who sacrifice the sacrifice,[e] whether it is an ox, sheep, or goat, and they shall give the priest the shoulder and the jawbones and the stomach. 4 The firstfruits[f] of your grain, your wine, and your olive oil and the firstfruits[g] of the fleece of your sheep you shall give to him. 5 For Yahweh your God has chosen him from among all your tribes to stand to minister in the name of Yahweh, he and his sons forever.[h]
6 And if a[i] Levite comes from one of your towns[j] from anywhere in Israel[k] where he is residing, he may come whenever he desires,[l] to the place that Yahweh will choose, 7 and he may minister in the name of Yahweh his God, just like all his brothers, the Levites who stand there[m] before[n] Yahweh. 8 They shall eat equal portions,[o] apart from what he may receive from the sale of his patrimony.[p]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Deuteronomy 18:1 The meaning of the Hebrew text here is uncertain; possibly it reads: “rather an offering by fire then they will eat as their inheritance/patrimony”
- Deuteronomy 18:2 Hebrew “him”
- Deuteronomy 18:2 Literally “spoke”
- Deuteronomy 18:2 Hebrew “him”
- Deuteronomy 18:3 Literally “the sacrificers of the sacrifice”
- Deuteronomy 18:4 Hebrew “firstfruit”
- Deuteronomy 18:4 Hebrew “firstfruit”
- Deuteronomy 18:5 Literally “all of the days”
- Deuteronomy 18:6 Hebrew “the”
- Deuteronomy 18:6 Literally “gates”
- Deuteronomy 18:6 Literally “all of Israel”
- Deuteronomy 18:6 Literally “he may come in all the desire of his soul/inner self”
- Deuteronomy 18:7 Literally “the Levites the ones standing there”
- Deuteronomy 18:7 Literally “to the face of”
- Deuteronomy 18:8 Literally “a portion like a portion”
- Deuteronomy 18:8 Hebrew meaning of these phrases/words is not certain; also could translate as “except what they receive from the sale of their fathers’ estates” (NASB); or “what he may inherit from his father’s family”
Deuteronomy 18:1-8
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Privileges of Priests and Levites
18 “The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no allotment or inheritance within Israel. They may eat the offerings by fire[a] that are the Lord’s portion,[b](A) 2 but they shall have no inheritance among the other members of the community; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them.
3 “This shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder, the two jowls, and the stomach.(B) 4 The first fruits of your grain, your wine, and your oil, as well as the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him.(C) 5 For the Lord your God has chosen Levi[c] out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for all time.(D)
6 “If a Levite leaves any of your towns, from wherever he has been residing in Israel, and comes to the place that the Lord will choose (and he may come whenever he wishes), 7 then he may minister in the name of the Lord his God, like all his fellow-Levites who stand to minister there before the Lord. 8 They shall have equal portions to eat, even though they have income from the sale of family possessions.[d](E)
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